Although many gun owners keep a gun in the home for protection, studies show that risks of keeping a gun in the home out-weigh benefits. For instance, a gun in the home is actually used for self - protection in fewer than 2% of home invasion crimes.

Handguns--which include semiautomatic pistols, revolvers and derringers--are the largest category of firearms recovered by law enforcement agencies in the United States. Half of all the guns recovered from crimes are semiautomatic handguns. (Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco and Firearms)

In Australia overall ,gun deaths are down but it is debated whether this is a result of tough new laws enacted after the Port Arthur Massacre

But one figure that cannot be disputed from the Australian Institute of Criminology is the increase in the number of murders using handguns.

In the early 1980's ,only about 10% of murders were committed by hand guns,by the end of the decade the figure had risen to almost half.

The use of handguns has increased partly because they are easy to conceal.

On the 5th anniversary of the PORT ARTHUR massacre,(APRIL 28)the Australian national Coalition for Gun Control has called for a ban on high powered and self loading handguns.

Coalition chairman.Roland Browne said further reforms are necessary and it is now time to tackle hand guns.

The situation now in Australia is that for a person to get a hand gun licence they merely need to be a member of a shooting club,have no prior convictions,and no mental health history.

It is anomalous that after the Port arthur massacre the laws for rifles changed so that semi-automatic rifles are no longer legal for target shooting,yet smi-automatic and self loading handguns are still permitted.

This loophole must be closed said Roland.

There must be a nationwide buyback scheme similar to the rifle and shotgun buyback when about 370,000 firearms were removed from the community.

NO GUNS,NO VIOLENCE endorses the remarks of Roland Browne and believes that Tasmania is well placed to lead the country and the world on this issue.